Day 1: Expert Insights, Panel Discussion and Networking Dinner
The main topic of the conference was "Technical Information in Heavily Regulated Industries." This topic was chosen to better understand the challenges and limitations that technical writing teams need to overcome in order to provide meaningful instructions for use in highly regulated industries. Given the complexity of the topic, the tekom Sweden advisory board decided to organize only one track on the first day to provide a structured introduction.
The conference began with a session by Fosco Giordano, who provided an overview of key regulations and requirements in the Life Sciences industry. Attendees learned about the major regulators and industry organizations in this field. His session also covered the drug development process and addressed both direct and indirect customer requirements. Following this, Niklas Öyen shared insights on how to set up and produce technical information for complex products in highly regulated environments. Throughout the day, attendees explored various areas such as Battlefield, Information, and Defense, Aviation Safety, and Medical Devices regulations, gaining deeper insights into the specific regulatory requirements of these industries. Other important topics included Aerospace standards and ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English, as well as innovative approaches to manual creation using GMDS/DMGS.
During the coffee breaks, attendees had the opportunity to visit the sponsoring area, where they could network with industry professionals while enjoying delicious treats.
The day concluded with a networking dinner at the conference hotel's elegant restaurant. Attendees exchanged ideas and reflected on the day's discussions over a three-course meal in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
Day 2: Workshops and Advanced Discussions
The second day featured two parallel tracks, allowing attendees to choose sessions based on their interests. The morning was dedicated to interactive workshops, including one by Daniela Zambrini and Orlando Chiarello on ASD-STE100: How to Write Procedures in Simplified Technical English, which provided practical guidance on creating clear and standardized technical documentation. At the same time, Mark Pepper led a workshop on Taxonomy, Metadata, and Regulated Industries in Structured Content, addressing how structured content management can improve compliance and efficiency in regulated environments. The second day’s presentations aimed to deepen attendees’ knowledge and foster discussions on emerging technologies and regulations. One of the engaging debates focused on whether GenAI is too risky for highly regulated industries. Additionally, Marjolein Berends demonstrated how AI agents can work alongside Neural Machine Translation to provide translations that go beyond current technological expectations. Later, attendees engaged in discussions on the dos and don’ts of editorial systems (CCMS), exploring best practices for managing content in compliance-driven industries. Gabriel Fleischer also introduced Machinery Regulation 2023/1230, outlining its key requirements and implications for technical communication.
As the conference came to an end, attendees reflected on two days of informative talks, hands-on workshops, and valuable discussions. The overall feedback was highly positive, with several suggestions already being considered for next year’s event. The atmosphere throughout the conference was energetic and collaborative, leaving attendees excited about future developments in technical communication.
Many thanks to all attendees, speakers, and sponsors who contributed to making this event a success. We look forward to welcoming everyone again next year!